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This Week in Yellowstone: February 12th to February 18th, 2026 · This Week in Yellowstone National Park

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From Yellowstone National Park, where a little
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snow fell, but not really enough to say winter
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has returned, this is that Scott guy you know
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and love with a brand new episode of This Week
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in Yellowstone. What's up everybody? This week
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in Yellowstone National Park, from February 12th
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to February 18th, 2026, I try to help you learn
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about place names in the park, tell you why Mammoth
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is called Mammoth, share a trail you should hike
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this week, and also give you an idea for an unforgettable
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experience when in the park. I'll also give you
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the complete weather forecast, the snowpack update,
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the wildlife report, and everything else you
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need to have an incredible time this week in
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Yellowstone. Standard disclaimer, might miss
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a few details here and there. I also mentioned
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park locations very casually, so if you're unfamiliar
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with anything I say, a quick search online can
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help, or you can just reach out to me directly.
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Please know that this report only covers the
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drivable areas of the park, not the interior
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for snow coaches, anything like that. Just the
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drivable areas, which currently is the northern
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road from Gardiner to Cook City through Mammoth
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and Lamar Valley. Also, this podcast is a passion
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project of mine. If you enjoy it, I'd love a
1:23
review or a quick email. If you want to support
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my work more, you can check out my hiking and
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wildlife watching guidebooks, or you can join
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me for a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone. For
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more information, visit outdoor -society .com
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or just contact me directly. Seriously though,
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you cannot go wrong booking a trail tour with
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me. I love showing people what lies beyond the
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roads and beyond the boardwalks. This week's
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Yellowstone News. Yellowstone's Virtual Summit
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will be running February 19th through the 22nd,
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2026. The Yellowstone Virtual Summit, running
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from the dates I just said, is a four day online
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gathering celebrating Yellowstone National Park
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through expert insight, storytelling, and inspiration.
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Co -hosted by A Yellowstone Life and Yellowstone
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Forever, the event features engaging presentations
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from park staff, scientists, historians, artists,
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photographers, filmmakers, and tribal representatives.
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Attendees explore wildlife, geology, conservation,
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culture, and behind -the -scenes perspectives
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through dynamic talks, interviews, and live discussions.
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A portion of the proceeds support Yellowstone
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conservation, education, and preservation efforts.
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For more information, check out the link in the
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episode notes. There is a delay in Grizzly plans
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for Greater Yellowstone. Federal officials have
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delayed final decisions on grizzly bear management
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plans for the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem and
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the lower 48 states until December 2026, extending
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a process already years behind schedule. The
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U .S. Fish and Wildlife Service cited the complexity
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of grizzly bear rulemaking, extensive public
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input, staffing shortages, regulatory backlogs,
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and a recent change in presidential administration
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as the reasons for postponement. The decision
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will determine whether Yellowstone Area Grizzlies
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retain Endangered Species Act protection or are
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managed by the nearby states. The delay has frustrated
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Western states seeking delisting, while conservation
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groups emphasize careful science -based management
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to ensure long -term recovery. I'll keep you
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posted on this, but again, they're just kicking
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the can down the road and yeah, we'll see what
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happens. My experience of the week. There's a
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special kind of excitement in Yellowstone after
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a fresh snowfall. This winter, with snow events
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few and far between, having an opportunity to
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see the park after fresh snow is a huge bonus.
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Now after new snow, everything in the park feels
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quieter, softer, and almost brand new. And while
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many may assume that after snow accumulates,
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winter wildlife would sometimes feel or be harder
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to spot, snow actually makes things easier. because
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suddenly the animals start leaving you clues
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everywhere. If you've never paid attention to
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animal tracks before, winter in Yellowstone is
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the perfect time to start and that's why it's
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my experience of the week of looking at animal
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tracks in the fresh snow. The trick with everything
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in Yellowstone is to slow down. Instead of scanning
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the hillsides for animals right away, Start by
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looking at the ground right by the pullouts,
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the closed roads, the river edges, and those
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open meadows. Those are basically nature's bulletin
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boards after a storm. A clean set of tracks might
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be minutes old or from earlier that morning.
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And you're not just looking at footprints. You're
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looking at a story in progress. Once you start
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recognizing a few common tracks, it gets addictive.
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Bison tracks are big and obvious, often mashed
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into wide tramples. trampled paths where the
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herd has moved through. Elk and deer leave almost
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heart -shaped prints and are often found in clusters
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where they've been pawing down to the grass.
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Coyotes tend to travel in neat straight lines
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like they've got somewhere important to be. Except
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for when they don't because they sometimes deviate
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for seemingly no reason sometimes you'll watch
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coyote tracks. They'll be straight line straight
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line They'll dart 90 degrees They'll go for 15
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feet and then they walk back in the same path
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and then continue on that straight line It's
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really fun to see sometimes they kind of weave
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back and forth But they're always kind of like
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this is where I'm headed Fox tracks are very
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similar to coyotes And they're smaller almost
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dainty and they sometimes line up perfectly then
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that they look fake. Like fox tracks look like
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if I was to try my best to replicate what I think
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a fox track would be. And I know this because
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I've been out there and looking at them. Wolf
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tracks are just bigger and more deliberate and
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you can actually see like that confidence and
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size in those strides. Then there's snowshoe
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hares whose bounding tracks looks like tiny snow
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explosions scattered across the snow. So the
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real fun starts when you look beyond the footprints.
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You might see wings brushed in the snow where
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a raven landed. There might be a smooth slide
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mark leading into a river that gives way to where
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an otter might be hanging out. Maybe there are
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even messy signs of a hunt with blood visible
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in the snow. Suddenly a quiet pullout where you're
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scanning becomes way more interesting than another
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scenic overlook that you just stop and appreciate,
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you know, the grandeur of nature. Not that you
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need something to Make it even better, but there
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are things in Yellowstone that can get even better
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because the more you're aware The more of a story
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like I said there unfolds before you and these
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tracks in the fresh snow Give you that opportunity
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What makes tracking so cool is that you don't
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actually need to see the animal for the experience
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to be meaningful? standing in a wolf track path
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like standing right by it and looking at it,
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or following a coyote's path across a meadow
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makes their presence feel immediate, like you
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just missed them by minutes. You're sharing the
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same landscape, just on a different schedule.
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If you've ever felt like wildlife watching is
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all about luck, tracks can also help change that.
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They give you something to engage with every
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single day, whether or not animals are visible.
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And once you start noticing them, you'll never
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look at a fresh snowpack in Yellowstone the same
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way again. It's really one of my favorite things
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to get there after a couple inches of snow have
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fallen and then you see those first tracks because
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then you see how much movement really occurs
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in the park. If you've only visited in the summer,
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it's hard to really fathom how many animals crisscross
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every single corner of the park. After the snow,
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you get to see this. So if you're in the park
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this week, It should snow, we'll see. And if
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it does, look for tracks. It's very fun. My tip
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of the week. Learning place names in the park.
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So learning place names in Yellowstone typically
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doesn't happen by cramming them into your head
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with flashcards. It happens the same way you
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learn anything in the real world. By spending
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time with it, getting a little overwhelmed, and
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then slowly realizing you know where you are
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and you know what you're talking about. The first
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step to learning place names in the park is getting
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comfortable with a map. Maps are great, not just
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to memorize names, but to understand how the
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park works, what the layout is. A good paper
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map, like you get at the entrance station, or
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a topo map, that's really going to show you how
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the valleys, rivers, and plateaus all fit together.
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Once it starts clicking, once you know, like,
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okay, I'm going to leave Mammoth and then I'm
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going to cross the Gardiner River and then I'm
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going to head up. next to Lava Creek and cross
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Lava Creek and then get into Blacktail Ponds
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and then you just start knowing the layout of
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the park. Once that clicks, the names start to
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feel logical instead of random. Lamar Valley
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becomes that wide open basin along Soda Butte
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Creek and Lamar Valley. And Mount Washburn turns
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into that peak you keep spotting from half the
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park that allows you to kind of figure out where
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you're at. There also is a way to learn a little
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more of actual place names that are referred
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to often by wildlife watchers, and that's using
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the Spotter app, S -P -O -T -T -R, and that's
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completely worth downloading. It's made by wildlife
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enthusiasts in the park, and it labels nearby
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pullouts, creeks, peaks, valleys, and wildlife
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hotspots throughout Yellowstone. Having this
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app helps you understand where things are, especially
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when someone mentions a place during ranger talk
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or at a pullout when you're talking about where
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wildlife is. This app shows you not only where
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it is on the map, but it also has pictures from
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the locations So you can instantly see it on
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the map and then a picture of it and you can
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can connect the name To the ground beneath you
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and that's huge when helping learn places because
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it's gonna stick in your brain if you're standing
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and Looking at like Dorothy's there's a place
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that if you know, you know or the March Simpson
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tree places like that if you know where those
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are Those are going to be you know, you're gonna
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hear somebody be like, oh, we saw some wolves
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by the March Simpson tree. You know exactly where
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that is. And this app, the Spotter app, can help
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you. The free app is especially helpful on repeat
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routes, like when you're driving through the
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Northern Range from Gardner through Lamar Valley
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to Cook City. After a few drives, the same names
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keep popping up. You know, once you know Tower
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Junction, Round Prairie, Pebble Creek, Soda Butte,
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Baronet Peak. then you're going to start learning
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some of the other places. And that's just going
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to make the park feel so much more full. Because
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one of the issues that I have when people talk
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about visiting Yellowstone is we'll just go to
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Lamar Valley and you'll see wildlife. But it's
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a little more complicated than that. Lamar Valley
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is huge. But where in Lamar Valley specifically?
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Like, what are some of these places? Jasper Bench
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is Amethyst Creek. What are some of these places
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that people mention? This will help you learn
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those places. And it's again, like I said before,
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it's slowing down when in the park. That's going
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to help you learn. Pull -outs and trailheads
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are basically open air classrooms as well. When
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you stop, take a second to confirm what you're
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looking at. Open the spotter app and you'll see
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where you're at or have a paper map and you can
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kind of see what's around. Also, if you stop
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where there is a trailhead, walk out and look
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at that trailhead map. It has all sorts of things
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labeled on it that may not be on your paper map.
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The maps of the trailheads also let you learn
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what else is around you in a very detailed way
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like oh there's campsites out here or there's
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a ford that if you hike you have to cross the
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creek. It helps you kind of learn how the infrastructure
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works. If you do this often enough you're going
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to start recognizing places before you even see
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the sign. I can drive the park right now and
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I know every little hill. I know, you know, I
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have stories that I have that I share, and those
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stories also make a big difference when I'm talking
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to people about the park. You know, if I talk
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to them about a specific place and point it out,
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that's going to resonate with them more. One
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thing that I really do recommend is have a little
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notebook with you or your notes app on your phone
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and just jot down a couple of spots you visit
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each day. Say what you saw there. You know, how
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was the snow? Did you hear any birds? Just a
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basic thing. The more you write about things,
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the more there's a connection to your brain and
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with your eyes of what you saw. Now, for those
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who really want to get nerdy about all of this
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and want to know the history of place names in
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the park, I highly encourage you to pick up a
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book titled Yellowstone Place Names. This is
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one of my go -to resources for all sorts of research
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and adventure planning and this podcast. As a
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guide, knowing why and when a place was named
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helps me bring even more to my days with the
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clients that I bring out into the backcountry.
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So in the end, learning Yellowstone's place names
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isn't about being impressive or studying a ton.
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It's about feeling oriented. Maps give you structure,
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repetition builds confidence, stories add depth,
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and spotter ties it all together when you're
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actually there. Over time, the park stops feeling
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overwhelming and starts feeling familiar, and
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that's one place name at a time. And all of this
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brings me to my random Yellowstone fact of the
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week, how Mammoth Hot Springs got its name. Now
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long before Mammoth Hot Springs had a name on
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a map, the terraces and steaming hillsides were
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already well known. Indigenous peoples lived
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in and traveled through the Yellowstone region
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for around 10 ,000 to 14 ,000 years, using established
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trail networks that passed near what is now Mammoth.
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Tribes from all over knew this area of the park
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as a large geothermal landscape defined by steam,
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heat, mineral rich waters, and lots of wildlife.
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Many indigenous names for Yellowstone translate
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to phrases like the land of burning ground or
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place of hot water. reflecting both familiarity
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and respect for the power of these features.
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Thermal areas like Mammoth were woven into seasonal
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travel, hunting routes, ceremony, and practical
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use. And there used to be talks, ranger talks
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back in the 80s and 90s about how, you know,
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indigenous tribes were scared of the park and
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would never enter, and that's just not true.
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There are so many different... archaeological
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sites dwell old dwellings and things like that
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throughout the region and to think that the indigenous
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populations didn't go to the park is just ludicrous
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and so that's my little rant indigenous use of
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the hot springs was often functional as well
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as spiritual the northern Shoshone groups sometimes
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used hot water to soften bighorn sheep horns
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so they could be shaped into bows and warm ground
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near thermal areas offered winter advantages
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for travel and camping Oral history suggests
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that mammoth in nearby valleys were important
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corridors for following bison and elk during
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the colder months. When European trappers and
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explorers arrived in the early 19th century,
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they often relied on indigenous guides and trails
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encountering places like mammoth long after they
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had been integrated into native landscapes. Now
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the name mammoth hot springs came later. Mammoth
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hot springs gets its name not from wooly mammoths,
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but from the very early European American settlers
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and visitors who perceived this site as something
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enormous and impressive. In the late 19th century,
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the word mammoth was commonly used to describe
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anything exceptionally large or grand, and the
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extensive travertine terraces in mammoth fit
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that idea. The multi -tiered formations spread
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across the hillside and down the valley, and
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these were among the most spectacular geothermal
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features anyone had seen. So the name stuck.
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When early explorers and stagecoach drivers first
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encountered the thermal landscape in the 1870s,
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the sheer scale of travertine was unlike anything
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they had seen. One of Yellowstone's first formal
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scientific surveys, the 1871 Hayden Expedition,
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described the terraces in detail, and the area
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quickly became known as a must -see highlight
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for early tourists traveling to Yellowstone.
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The name also sets this place apart from other
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hot spring areas in the park. Unlike the silica
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-rich geyser basins of Old Faithful and Norris,
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Mammoth's travertine terraces are extensive,
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ever -changing, and often broad and sculptural,
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with springs shifting course drying up or reactivating
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in entirely new locations. That dynamic, colossal
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quality helped visitors justify calling it Mammoth.
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After the park's creation, Mammoth became a center
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of administration. The U .S. Army established
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Fort Yellowstone there in the 1880s, drawn by
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year -round access, water, and open ground. Soldiers
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enforced park rules, built roads, and lived among
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the terraces, further cementing Mammoth's role
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as Yellowstone's northern hub. That military
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presence helped transform a place long understood
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through indigenous relationships into one defined
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by maps, buildings, and official names. Today,
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Mammoth Hot Springs carries both histories at
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once. The name reflects a 19th century reaction
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to size and spectacle, while the land itself
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holds far older meanings tied to migration, survival,
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and cultural knowledge. Understanding Mammoth
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means recognizing it not just as a geological
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wonder of park headquarters, but as a piece layered
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with human stories that stretch far beyond its
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modern name. It has a mammoth history. The weather
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for the coming week. Lamar Valley. On Thursday
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the high will be 39, the low will be 20. On Friday
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it will be 37 and 19. Saturday 37 and 23. Sunday...
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41 and 25 with about a 41 % chance of a half
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inch of snow in the afternoon evening Monday
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41 and 26 with about an inch of snow Tuesday
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33 and 15 with about two inches of snow possible
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and Wednesday 28 and 16 with about one inch of
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snow possible Dardener, Montana on Thursday high
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of 46 love 25 Friday high of 43 love 26 Saturday
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42 and 30 Sunday 46 and 29, Monday 45 and 30
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with a potential of one inch of snow in the afternoon
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evening, Tuesday 38 and 20 with snow about an
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inch probably in the morning, and then Wednesday
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33 and 17 with an inch of snow expected throughout
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the day. And that brings us out to Cook City.
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On Thursday high of 36, low of 18, Friday 34
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and 19, Saturday 34 and 25, Sunday 39 and 26
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with about an inch of snow in the afternoon evening.
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Monday 39 and 25 with an inch of snow throughout
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the day. Tuesday 31 and 15 with two inches of
19:11
snow. Wednesday 25 and 13 with two inches of
19:15
snow. So if you're headed to the park and you
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want to experience that fresh snowfall, it's
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going to probably happen Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
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especially the further to Cook City you get.
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The long term forecast looks like next week,
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like next Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
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could be pretty snowy. Fingers crossed that that
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holds because we need snow, which brings us to
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the snowpack, the snowpack update. As of February
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11th, the snowpack is around 105 % of normal
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for this time of year. I know that's shocking
19:44
to a lot of people, but it's true. The eastern
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and northern range of the park is about 115 %
19:50
of normal, while the west and south side of the
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park is about 91 % of normal. Last year on this
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date, we were averaging around 103 % of our normal
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level. So, we're right in the same ballpark,
20:02
which is good. Last year was a very snowy February,
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and so... I think I think this is good news with
20:08
the snow coming in. Obviously, we need more lowland
20:11
snow, but it's very important that the mountains
20:15
continue to get snow even if we don't get any
20:17
in the lowland valleys. Some people might be
20:19
shocked that the numbers are higher after this
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last snowstorm, but it didn't snow that much
20:24
in a lot of the areas around the park, like up
20:27
in Livingston in town. We didn't get any snow.
20:31
800 feet above town. it started snowing and they
20:34
got a couple inches thousand feet it was a couple
20:36
more inches 1500 feet above that you know so
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then we're talking about seven thousand feet
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six thousand feet that's where it really started
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snowing and most of the park is over six thousand
20:46
feet so you know lowlands not great but we're
20:50
at 105 percent of normal for this time of year
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uh that's a victory for how um not great the
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winter has been road conditions as always the
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only road open in the winter is between Gardner
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Montana and Cook City, Montana. Please be aware
21:06
that this road can close at any time due to inclement
21:08
weather. If that snow falls this weekend, it
21:11
might start out kind of wet. So just be aware
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that the road's not going to be perfect and dry,
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but the park does a great job of plowing and
21:20
sanding and things like that. So should be OK.
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However, sign up for those. road alerts on your
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mobile phone text eight two one nine zero to
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the number eight eight eight Seven seven seven
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or if you're just staying somewhere nearby and
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you want to call in the morning You can call
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three zero seven three four four two one one
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seven for road information Camping information
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there is only one campground open in the park
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right now And that's the mammoth campground and
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that's open year -round last time I was there.
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They were called people camping It's always cool
21:53
to see in the winter so Good on you. If that
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was one of you camping, I always appreciate you
21:58
all camping out there, especially the tent I
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saw. That's awesome. I like no notes. I hope
22:05
I hope you stayed warm. The wildlife watching
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update. So wildlife watching right now is actually
22:12
pretty good. I know that wolves have been decently
22:15
visible, both kind of by blacktail ponds around
22:18
the big bend between blacktail ponds and the.
22:23
Blacktail Plateau Drive and that's kind of like
22:25
that nature trail area. People have had good
22:27
luck there the last couple of days. Also out
22:30
by Slough Creek luck has been pretty good. I
22:32
know some people have got some pretty good pictures
22:34
of wolves about you know 200 yards away so that's
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been really nice. Bison have been kind of all
22:39
over still migrating down a bit so you're going
22:42
to see them more toward Mammoth. Also pronghorn
22:45
have been hanging out outside the park kind of
22:47
by devil's slide north of the park as you get
22:50
outside the park boundary and headed toward Yellowstone
22:53
Hot Springs. Bighorn sheep, still seeing them
22:55
out there. A lot of elk still outside the park
22:59
in the northern range, some hanging out inside
23:01
the park. And then you're gonna have your coyotes
23:04
just kind of all over, largely in round prairie,
23:08
along Soda Butte Creek, out by... Little America
23:13
in Lamar Valley, and then kind of here and there
23:15
in open settings. I had a really good sighting
23:18
the other day out by the hell roaring area, just
23:22
one trotting along. And that was really nice.
23:25
A lot of bald eagles have been spotted. I saw
23:29
some sandhill cranes. And I heard one recently
23:32
near Gardner. So, you know, keep an eye out for
23:36
those. Otherwise, it's just kind of a standard
23:39
winter day, which is funny to say. But it's a
23:41
standard winter day. If you're going in the park
23:43
right now, you're going to see some bison. You're
23:44
probably going to see elk outside the park. You're
23:47
going to see some pronghorn. You probably see
23:48
some eagles. You're going to see some coyotes.
23:51
You might see a fox out by Cook City, some moose
23:54
out by Round Prairie and then maybe some wolves
23:56
out in the distance around Lamar Slew Creek or
23:59
that nature. Trail area by Blacktail. So, you
24:04
know, have good luck. It's a good time to be
24:06
there. I know I don't sound probably super excited,
24:08
but it's just like, this is what winter is. And
24:11
this is what you're going to see. And it's just
24:13
like, it's a standard routine winter. where you
24:16
just kind of see everything that Yellowstone
24:18
has to offer. And that's really cool. So put
24:21
in the miles, drive back and forth, get there
24:23
early. Visibility also hasn't been fantastic.
24:26
Sometimes there's been some fog in the last week.
24:30
That shouldn't be an issue, but know that when
24:32
the snow is coming in, that could impact visibility.
24:35
So the snowier it is, the less distance you're
24:38
going to have to see. But the snowier it gets,
24:42
the more movement animals could have coming down
24:45
in lower valleys. So Saturday could be a really
24:47
good day. That's what I'm going to leave this
24:50
with. If you need more wildlife tips, just reach
24:53
out to me. I don't want to go too long talking
24:55
about everything, but reach out to me. I can
24:57
send you a link to purchase my Wildlife Watching
25:00
Guidebook that... is like mile by mile, pull
25:03
out by pull out, basically broken down into what
25:06
you can historically see in each region. Or I
25:09
can just tell you, you know, what I've been seeing.
25:11
So reach out. If you don't reach out, you're
25:14
still going to have good luck. Just like I said,
25:16
put in the miles, stop and look, scan, look for
25:19
wildlife tracks in the fresh snow. It's going
25:22
to be a good week. Trail alerts and updates.
25:25
All right, so there's no official alerts this
25:28
week, but bears are active I know everybody a
25:31
couple weeks ago saw a big grizzly walking around
25:34
There's a bear story closer to Livingston that
25:37
happened last week that I want to share quickly
25:40
Just because it tells you like hey always have
25:43
your bear spray ready There were a couple people
25:45
hiking the Pine Creek Falls Trail, which is a
25:48
popular trail Trail out here. It's in just off
25:52
Paradise Valley. Really scenic, really pretty,
25:54
especially with the low with the lack of snow
25:56
right now. You can drive right to the trailhead
25:57
easily. So there are a couple of people from
26:00
a few European countries that were out hiking
26:03
and they had a bear blocking the trail. They
26:08
had service and they called the sheriff's department
26:11
and the sheriff's department came and escorted
26:13
them through safely because. You know, there's
26:16
a bear around and you know, I don't think they're
26:19
expecting a bear in the winter because most people
26:21
don't but bears are out Have your bear spray,
26:23
you know, and that's kind of my trailer right
26:26
now the snow if you're going out It's it's the
26:29
same as I said a few weeks ago, you know snows
26:31
a little better But don't expect a good deep
26:34
snowshoeing snow right now until you get past
26:37
Lamar Valley Then it's gonna get better closer
26:40
to Cook City you get after this week It could
26:43
be different, but right now just expect to, if
26:46
you're going snowshoeing or cross -country skiing,
26:48
go east. The further east you go, the better
26:51
it's going to be. Otherwise, it's going to be
26:53
post -holing and sloppy snow. My Trek of the
26:56
Week. So I have held off on this one because
26:59
I've been waiting for it to get snowier. It might
27:02
happen, but with wolves being spotted out there,
27:05
I'm going to recommend it this week, and that
27:07
trail is the Slough Creek Road. So the Slough
27:10
Creek Road is like this essential winter activity
27:15
area. It's probably the top three easy winter
27:18
trail adventures you can have in the Northern
27:19
Range of Yellowstone. I love it. I do it often.
27:23
It offers sweeping views of the region's landscape,
27:25
potential for incredible wildlife watching, and
27:28
an opportunity to experience the elements outside
27:30
firsthand. You really shouldn't skip this if
27:33
you're looking for an adventure outside. Located
27:36
just before passing through the Lamar Canyon,
27:39
that narrow canyon before you get to Lamar Valley,
27:42
Slough Creek is currently one of the best spots
27:43
in Yellowstone to spot wolves. Over the last
27:46
few years, probably a decade at this point, one
27:49
of the wolf packs in Yellowstone has been denning
27:51
in the region during the spring months, dazzling
27:53
wildlife watchers, but in the winter, wolves,
27:56
bison, coyotes, foxes, elk, and even occasional
27:59
moose can be spotted in the area. No matter what
28:01
the month, Slew Creek is worth a stop and an
28:03
adventure, but in the winter, like I love going
28:06
literally the extra mile or three that most people
28:10
don't. So during the winter months, the dirt
28:13
road leading to the Slew Creek campground is
28:15
closed to vehicles, and it turns this wide path
28:18
into an ideal place to wander in cold temperatures
28:21
and windswept snow. If you go here, please park
28:24
in the appropriate spots around the pit toilets
28:26
or along the road. Don't park in the spots in
28:29
front of the toilets or block that gate if you
28:31
plan to hike. There are pullouts nearby that
28:34
should be used. So once you're parked, make your
28:36
way to the gate and then walk around that first
28:38
gate. You might see some tracks, some human tracks,
28:43
that lead left onto this kind of overlook. You
28:46
can go out there if you want, but your path is
28:49
actually going to be on the road and you're going
28:51
to drop down a hill. The path is really easy
28:53
to follow. It meanders down towards Slough Creek
28:55
and alongside the flank of Bison Peak. You more
28:59
than likely see some other human tracks, be it
29:02
snowshoes or cross -country skis. And if you
29:05
are snowshoeing out here, never walk on the cross
29:08
-country ski path. There's plenty of room to
29:10
avoid it and it's important to not ruin that
29:16
ski trail. This trail is gonna roll in elevation
29:19
a bit, but for all intents and purposes, there's
29:21
really only one hill to descend on the trek when
29:24
you're going out, and then you come up and on
29:26
the way back. The hill is located less than half
29:28
a mile from the parking area, and once the hill's
29:31
been descended, the path will head towards Slough
29:33
Creek. Along the way, stop and scan for animals.
29:37
Nearly every winter trek that I take along here,
29:40
I see bison and coyotes pretty close. If you
29:44
see wildlife out here, avoid it. Stay away from
29:48
it. I know like yes, of course But I have seen
29:52
people that are like well, I'm on the road and
29:54
there's a bison, you know 15 yards off the road
29:56
I should just walk by it still maintain at least
29:59
25 yards if that requires you to walk off the
30:01
road clear around it So be it walk off the road.
30:05
I'm gonna talk about that in a little bit probably
30:08
So just under a mile from the gate in the pit
30:10
toilets, you're gonna have a chance to leave
30:12
the road at a pullout and walk out to a fantastic
30:14
view of Slough Creek. This area is often popular
30:17
with eagles, and it's also a great spot where
30:19
I've watched wolves on the hills to the north.
30:21
This is a great place to stand and scan for wildlife
30:24
and to be very quiet and just listen. It's also
30:28
a good spot just to turn back if you want. If
30:30
you choose to turn back here, Don't worry about
30:32
it. You'll have completed a nearly two mile winter
30:34
trek in Yellowstone. That's rad. And you get
30:36
to go to a really cool sighting. Beyond the pullout,
30:40
though, that's where you're going to have this
30:42
like great, great, great opportunity to see some
30:46
cool stuff. The next mile of the trail is pretty
30:49
quiet. Occasionally, creek views will emerge
30:51
on your left and the right side is going to show
30:54
off the rocky and rugged side of Bison Peak.
30:56
Keep an eye out for animals of all sizes, as
30:59
wildlife is often quite active here. Animal tracks
31:01
in the snow also start to increase. And you can
31:05
really see where the coyotes have been hunting,
31:07
where wolves have been roving, and where bison
31:09
have been just like strolling about. Also, the
31:14
bison peak that I mentioned, the big mountain
31:16
that's going to be on your right, there are some
31:18
mountain lions that live up there. Never seen
31:20
them. I haven't even seen a track of one here,
31:23
but I know people that have. So keep an eye out.
31:26
You never know. Back to my important note about
31:29
bison. if you encounter bison while on foot do
31:32
not approach them you will have to get off trail
31:35
and walk around them more than likely if they
31:38
walk towards you do not stay where you are move
31:40
away from their path go clear around them again
31:44
very basic i just want you to be safe and i want
31:47
the bison not to be you know using too much energy
31:51
when grass is hard to find at just under two
31:54
miles the path takes the left of the slough creek
31:56
trailhead Super serious adventures with proper
31:59
gear hoping for a long day with more elevation
32:01
gain and winter conditions should consider hiking
32:04
the first bit of this trail to the next meadow
32:07
It's really cool out there if you are kind of
32:09
like looking for that adventure do this go to
32:12
first meadow There's gonna you're gonna climb
32:14
a hill you're gonna drop down a hill you're gonna
32:16
get into a wide open valley There's gonna be
32:19
a rocky cliff on the left a rocky mound on the
32:22
left across from a cabin out there Go up on that
32:25
rocky mound Everyone else, though, should walk
32:29
the road to the outbuilding and the second gate.
32:32
At the gate, so that's staying on the road, you're
32:34
going to curve around past Slough Creek Trailhead.
32:37
There's an outbuilding you're going to see in
32:38
another gate. At the gate, walk around it and
32:40
continue to the campground. This section of the
32:42
path will narrow and animal prints and the snow
32:44
should increase. Once at the campground, walk
32:47
up the creek a little bit and take in the grandeur
32:50
and isolation of being here alone. Less than
32:54
one half of one percent of winter visitors will
32:57
experience this moment. After you've had your
32:59
fill of the view near the campground, you have
33:02
two options. You can either turn or turn the
33:04
way you came, or walk through the campground
33:06
and then walk through the woods next to the creek
33:08
back to the trail. This second option should
33:11
only be attempted by those with experience in
33:14
route finding, as you'll need to eventually find
33:16
your way back to the road. It's not the most
33:18
difficult task, especially since you're just
33:20
sticking close to the creek and then you'll get
33:23
to the building by the second gate, but still,
33:27
it's not for everybody. Don't risk it if you
33:28
don't feel comfortable. Just walk back on the
33:30
road. Once you're back on the road, walk back
33:33
to the parking area, scan for animals at every
33:35
opportunity, and if you're doing this trek in
33:38
the early morning or late afternoon, stop every
33:41
so often and just listen for a few minutes, as
33:43
you may hear coyotes or even wolves howling in
33:46
the distance. Alright, that's it for this week.
33:50
Next week, I'm going to return with all the information
33:52
you need to have a good week in the park, including
33:54
wildlife, weather, and trail updates. Until then,
33:58
book a tour with me, pick up a guidebook of mine,
34:00
and happy trails in Yellowstone! This week in
34:13
Yellowstone is brought to you by the Outdoor
34:15
Society because that's my company and that's
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where this is hosted. There are no sponsors.
34:20
This is a labor of love, so thank you all for
34:22
listening. Copyright 2026, baby!